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- 1577

BACHELOR OF
DENTAL HEALTH SCIENCE

CAMPUS Gold Coast

DURATION 3 years full-time

COMMENCING IN Trimester 1

CREDIT POINTS 240 

DEGREE CODE 1577

QTAC CODE 233812

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Prerequisites view all
NIL
Assumed knowledge view all
English, English as an Additional Language,
Literature...

FEE (INDICATIVE) $11,500 per year 

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This degree is the first step towards a career in Dentistry.

You will learn from extensive hands-on training from the
first year of your studies.

You will study and work alongside registered Dentists

and Dental specialists in real life settings including in
regional areas and in our modern dental clinic and
specialised laboratories in the new Griffith Health
Centre. You will enhance your skills through professional
practice placements.

Honours is available through an additional year of study.

Related degrees
Bachelor of Dental Health Science (Honours) – 2126

Progression is dependent upon satisfying admission
requirements.

Program accreditation
The Bachelor of Dental Health Science (when
articulated with the Master of Dentistry) is accredited
by the Australian Dental Council (ADC).

Professional recognition
Completion of this degree and Griffith University's two-
year Master of Dentistry enables you to apply for
registration with the Australian Health Practitioner
Regulation Agency (and equivalent New Zealand
authorities) as a Dentist subject to meeting any
additional requirements that may be stipulated by the
Dental Board of Australia. As these requirements may
change from time to time, students should contact the
Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency
(AHPRA) to confirm registration requirements.

Applicants are advised that the Australian Health

Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) requires
Dentists to demonstrate English language skills that are
suitable for registration. Further information is available
on the AHPRA website.

Attendance information
The Bachelor of Dental Health Science is offered full-
time on-campus at the Gold Coast campus Griffith
Health Centre. Classes may be scheduled during the day
and evening throughout the week and on Saturdays.

Due to the need for students to develop complex clinical

and technical skills throughout this program, extensive
hands-on exposure to clinical/laboratory environments
is required. As a result, some courses commencing from
Year 1/Trimester 2 of this program will extend beyond the
standard teaching trimester (i.e. commencing earlier and
extending later than the standard trimester). Exact dates
over which these extended courses will run will be
published on a trimester-by-trimester basis in the
Academic Calendar.

The School of Medicine and Dentistry delivers electronic

assessment via ExamSoft's Examplify application.
Students enrolled in this program are required to have
access to a portable computer device (laptop or tablet)
that can be taken on campus to complete examination
and assessment activities. This device must meet the
minimum system requirements for Examplify.

The School has a small number of loan devices that may

be available to students who do not have access to a
personal device. Students must apply for access to loan
devices in the lead up to an examination or assessment.
Please note the School cannot guarantee a loan device
will be available for every applicant.

Managing study interruptions

Leave of absence
Students will require approval from the Dean, Dentistry
or nominee to take a leave of absence. The period of
leave will normally be one year.

Readmission

A student who has discontinued enrolment in a Dentistry

program and who is not on an approved leave of absence
is required to seek approval for readmission to the
program from the Dean, Dentistry or nominee.

Readmission to a Dentistry program is not guaranteed

and will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Please
contact the School of Medicine and Dentistry for further
details.

Students who are returning to the program after an

approved leave of absence or are being readmitted to the
program or are required to repeat a non-clinical DOH-
coded course will also be required to successfully
complete Clinical Skills Competency requirements
before continuing with their program.

Students who do not successfully complete these

requirements will not be eligible to continue their
program. Successful completion of these requirements
will ensure students remain competent in their practical
skills and are well prepared to continue with the
program. Please refer to the Griffith University Inability
to Complete Required Components of Professional
Qualification Policy for further information.

Student Income Support

To be classed as a full-time student, you are required to
enrol in a minimum number of credit points each
standard study period. The minimum credit points for
full-time enrolment in this program is 30 credit points.

Trimester 1 and Trimester 2 are deemed standard study

periods. As Trimester 3 is a non-standard study period,
continuing students moving from one year to the next
will not be required to study during this trimester to be
eligible for student income support.

Domestic students who commence in Trimester 3 may

be eligible for student income support from the onset of
study provided they are enrolled full-time in this study
period.

Please refer to the Australian Government website for

more details.

Student story
Laura Waldie
Bachelor of Oral Health and Dental Science

Laura Waldie is a high achiever, both on the sports

field and in the classroom. The Bachelor of Oral
Health Dental Science student is also a rugby 7s
player who captained the UniRoos at the World
University Games. She liked how dentistry
combined art, science and helping people.

Pathways to further study

Provisional entry into the Griffith Master of Dentistry
program

Completion of the Bachelor of Dental Health Science

(1577) will see graduates gain seamless entry into the
Master of Dentistry (5703).

Bachelor of Dental Health Science students need to be

aware that should they be successful in gaining entry
into the Master of Dentistry (5703) program, additional
requirements must be met prior to commencement.
Information about these requirements and other relevant
information can be found on the Health Placement
Support Hub website.

Note: Students are not permitted take a leave of absence

of more than one year after completing the Bachelor
program and commencing the Master of Dentistry
program to ensure currency of knowledge and skills.

Professional Practice
requirements
There are placements associated with this program and
before undertaking professional experience placements,
all students in this program are required to have
completed the following by the end of their first
trimester of study:

 Vaccinations and Health Tests

 Licenses and Certificates
 Online Training
 Health Placement Requirements

Students should refer to the checklist of professional

practice requirements for their Health discipline on
the Health Placement Support Hub for full details of the
requirements regarding professional placement to
ensure that they meet eligibility for placement.

New entry requirements

from 2022
Admission to Griffith’s Bachelor of Dental Health
Science is now determined by a sequential three-
stage process, including the requirement to complete
the Universities Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT).
Find out more 

Fees

Commonwealth supported students

Commonwealth supported students

 The indicative fee represents the expected
average fee for an annual full-time study load
(80 credit points). This is based on average
study patterns across courses and the Australian
Government's broad discipline areas (student
contribution bands). A student's actual annual
fee may vary in accordance with his or her
choice of majors and electives. The Australian
Government sets student contribution amounts
on an annual basis.
 Find out more...

Fee-paying undergraduate (domestic)


students

Additional fee information

Throughout your program you may be required to pay for
the following items:

First aid certificate; immunisations; uniforms; a portable

computer device (laptop or tablet) and expenses
associated with placements such as travel and
accommodation; dental kits and tools as stipulated for
each year. As well, there are Fit for Professional Practice
Placement costs such as Blue Card and Police Check.
For more information, please visit the School of Medicine
and Dentistry and the Health Placement Support Hub
webpages.

More scholarships
than ever before!
From 2024 Griffith will be offering over
1000 scholarships helping students to
cover living and education expenses.

Scholarships are free to apply and offer

support for academic achievement,
relocation, First Peoples, sports
achievement and others. One application
form, all scholarships considered.

Find out more 

My career opportunities
As a graduate of this degree and our Master of Dentistry,
you will be qualified to work as a registered Dentist with
opportunities in private practice, hospitals, school dental
clinics and the armed services. Further study and
research can lead to a career in academic teaching or
specialty practice.

Download a study guide

Explore what Griffith has to offer

Get started 

Apply for this degree

How to apply
QTAC applications for Trimester 1-2024
close on 29 September 2023.
After this date, no new applicants can apply, but
existing applicants can reorder this preference.

Guaranteed Admission Scheme

This degree is excluded from the Guaranteed
Admission Scheme.

Selection for admission to the Bachelor of Dental

Health Science degree is made on the basis the
combined weighted score of the following three
essential components:

1. Performance in the University Clinical Aptitude

Test ANZ (UCAT ANZ)
2. Performance in the Griffith University Dental
Admissions Process Interviews (GUDAPs)
3. Academic attainment

Further information for Queensland students

completing an ATAR can be found here.

Domestic applicants should apply for admission

through the Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre
(QTAC).

Applicants who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres

Strait Islander should email [email protected]
for information regarding First Peoples Selection and
Admissions Guidelines for Griffith Health Programs.

Note: Applicants are not permitted to defer an offer.

Should you be unable to accept an offer, you must re-
apply for entry in the following year.

A summary of the student profile for this program can

be found on the QTAC website. The Rank profile is
located on the Student Profile tab.

Important offer advice: Should you receive an offer

into this program you will be required to enrol into
classes* within a short timeframe. This information
will be included in your Starting@Griffith email and
expressed in the number of days from the day of issue
of your email. For QTAC applicants this is inline with
the offer response date in your offer email, however
Griffith accepts close of business that day - 5pm
(AEST). Please note that the number of days can vary
depending on when the offer was made. This
requirement applies to all applicants irrespective of
how you applied and/or whether you accepted
conditionally or unconditionally. If you do not enrol*
into at least one class for your program by 5pm on the
response day your offer will lapse. Lapsed offers are
not automatically reinstated and are subject to
available places.

*Enrolling into classes means that you are advising

when you are attending class/es. Enrolment must be
submitted

Entry requirements 

QTAC / UAC application information 

Language requirements 

Credit and recognition of prior learning 

Degree details
Select when you're planning to start studying to see
the correct course lists and requirements:

2024 Trimester 1

Degree requirements 

Program Director
The Program Director ensures that the published
program information on this website is accurate and
helpful for students' enrolment and progress. The
Program Director provides students with guidance on
program-related matters including making decisions on
specific aspects of a student's study program,
enrolment, progress, credit and eligibility to graduate.

 Professor Menaka Abuzar

Degree structure for Trimester 1 -

2024

Course lists

Course offering information in program structures

is a guide only. Please check the actual offering
information in the Course Catalogue.

Students must check the prerequisite

and incompatible requirements before
selecting any course within this program.
Year 1
You must complete the following courses:

Learning Period Course

Tri 1 Chemistry of Biological Systems I -

Tri 1 Anatomy and Physiology Systems I

Tri 1 Cells, Tissues and Regulation - 1014

Tri 1 Pre-clinical Dental Sciences - 1040D

Tri 2 Genes and Disease - 1005MSC

Tri 2 Chemistry of Biological Systems II -

Tri 2 Pre-clinical Dental Sciences - 1040D

Tri 2 Anatomy and Physiology Systems II

Note: Students must successfully complete all Level 1

courses before progressing to Level 2 DOH coded
courses.

Year 2
You must complete the following courses:

Learning Period Course

Tri 1 Biochemistry - 2005MSC

Tri 1 Clinical Dental Sciences 1 - 2050DO

Tri 1 Clinical Dental Sciences 2 - 2051DO

Tri 1 Social Sciences 1 - 2052DOH_Y1

Tri 1 Microbiology for Oral Health - 2015M

Tri 2 Clinical Dental Sciences 1 - 2050DO

Tri 2 Clinical Dental Sciences 2 - 2051DO

Tri 2 Social Sciences 1 - 2052DOH_Y2

Tri 2 Pathology General - 2006MED

Tri 2 Pharmacology for Oral Health - 202

Note: Students must successfully complete all Level 2

courses before progressing to Level 3 DOH coded
courses.

Year 3
You must complete the following courses:

Learning Period Course

Tri 1 General Dental Practice 1 - 3060DO

Tri 1 Clinical Dental Sciences 3 - 3061DO

Tri 1 Clinical Dental Sciences 4 - 3062DO

Tri 1 Social Sciences 2 - 3063DOH_Y1

Tri 2 General Dental Practice 1 - 3060DO

Tri 2 Clinical Dental Sciences 3 - 3061DO

Tri 2 Clinical Dental Sciences 4 - 3062DO

Tri 2 Social Sciences 2 - 3063DOH_Y2

Credit Points

A credit point value is assigned to each course (a unit

of study or subject). Each degree has a set number of
credit points you must complete.

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